1. Field of Invention
This invention relates generally to games for two players which make use of a board and playing pieces which in the course of play are moved on the board, and more particularly, to a game in which the face of the board presents an array of nine like squares on which is movable three playing pieces.
2. Status of Prior Art
Many games are known for two players which make use of a playing board divided into squares and playing pieces which are movable by the players to occupy different squares on the board. Thus checkers is a game which employs a square board divided into 64 alternately colored squares, each player being provided with a set of 12 pieces in the form of colored discs. A chess game uses the same board as in checkers, each player being provided with a set of 16 chessmen, the pieces in one set being all white and those in the other set being all black.
A three-spot game for two players in accordance with the invention is simpler in its equipment than either checkers or chess, for it uses only three playing pieces and a board whose face presents an array of nine squares. Yet this simple equipment lends itself to complex game strategies that require a high order of skill to execute, for the winner of a three spot game is not always the, player who scores the highest number of points. Should the opposing player score, less than a predetermined number of point, then he is the winner.
Indeed, a three spot game in some respects violates the theory of games first developed by John Von Neumann. Under this theory, a game consists of a set of rules governing a competitive situation in which two or more players choose strategies calculated to maximize their own winnings and minimize those of the opponents. These rules specify the possible action each player can take and the amount won or lost in various situations. Hence the winner of a game in all cases is the player who scores the highest number of points.
In contradistinction to the theory of games, a three spot game in accordance with the invention calls for strategies calculated to force an opposing player to also gain points, so that when a player scores the predetermined number of points which marks the end of the game, the opposing player has then scored a lesser number of points, but a sufficient number to avoid being declared the winner. Hence one possible game strategy is for a player is to score the fewest possible number of points in order to win the game.